We live in a time when seemingly everyone has trouble focusing on any one thing. Multi-tasking has become a skill most people aim to perfect because we live in a fast paced world. But if we don’t slow ourselves down regularly, we will inevitably “burn out”, so we need to make a point to take care of ourselves regularly.
I love me some Zen Habits – One of the things Leo mentions often is making a habit of taking regular mindfulness breaks throughout the day. So, in this article, I’m going to discuss this, as well as ideas on how to practice. (And remember, it’s practice! 😉)
The habit of regular mindfulness breaks
It’s easy for life to pass us by when we’re running from one thing to another, be it work to dinner to school, or whatever. We’re always on the go. Life is a precious & fleeting thing that we’re blessed to be conscious for, so it’s understandable to want to live it to its fullest. At the same time, are we really living, savoring each experience, as we go?? That’s why I think it’s such a good idea to schedule regular mindfulness breaks, whenever they can fit. Of course, it depends on how much time you can spare, whether you schedule a whole day or evening of pampering yourself, or if you can only sit for a minute or two. Depending on what I’m doing, most days I spend a few minutes every couple hours doing some exercise or meditation. If I’ve been particularly busy & need to recharge, I’ll carve out a few hours. But of course, mindfulness can be practiced anytime, anywhere, whenever you just focus on the present moment. 🕉
Acts of mindfulness
Anytime you immerse yourself in the present moment, you are practicing mindfulness. You could do this for a few seconds, or a few hours; it’s quality over quantity. You could immerse yourself in a walk in a park, or for a few seconds at work. Practice focusing on one thing. I do a lot of yoga, especially prior to meditation, because it helps calm my body; I meditate because it helps calm my mind. Really, anything you focus on is a type of meditation, including yoga, tai chi, & other exercises; I listen to a lot of trance music & usually use one of my many meditation beads , but I sometimes do visualizations or mantras.
Self care is a matter of necessity, not luxury
As a caregiver for my elderly father, I learned the importance of mindfulness the hard way. It’s a tough situation to be in, but it is what it is, and I try to grow where I’m planted by way of appreciating what I have each moment & trying to plan for the future. Burn out snuck up on me a few years ago, and regular mindfulness breaks are the only thing that has helped me get my head straight.
What do you do to take care of yourself? Let’s chat in the comments below!! 😉
In the midst of my devastation, I turned to some family members, who inadvertently introduced me to a friend of theirs. He & I fell for each other instantly, despite my hesitation considering my recent heartbreak. We’d actually met a few years back, at a store I’d worked at for a long time; he stood out to me a lot for some reason, like our souls were meant to know each other (as corny as that sounds!), yet I’d never seen him before & hadn’t seen him again for years. He says I’m like an angel dropped out of the sky into his life; and he’s turned out to be my sweet angel too hehe *gushes* We’ve been together 8 months now!
Not a great picture of a neat looking Steampunk inspired necklace featuring a length of leather, stone skull beads, a centerpiece made of gears, all backed by gold chain, & a dangling handmade key charm. It looks way better in person, but I wasn’t too worried about it because of its flaws. I was having a little trouble with the beaded section at first, and so the wire on one side is a bit kinked. Also, the 3 gears didn’t turn out quite as I’d hoped, and it’s a bit longer than I intended. Again, this first series was all experimental, so I know I shouldn’t be hard on myself. I’m not sure if I should scrap it & create a new one, or if I’m just exaggerating.
I do like this piece as well, & I’ll likely put it up for sale, but I just don’t know. It’s quite long, overwrapped in macrame, & the closure isn’t quite ideal. The rock should be showcased more, as it’s hand pulled from the family creek & glossed; but I do think it all goes together well. It turned out quite well considering my lack of appropriate clasps, & having been my first attempt at macrame wrapping an item. Perhaps this will be a redo, or a discounted item.
I’ve made these wire rings in the past, & worn them regularly. To my surprise, they’re actually pretty durable & never stained my fingers, so I guess I did a good job! LOL! The one on the left is a bit wonky. And I just wouldn’t know how much to sell these for… Although I see something similar on Etsy selling for $21; same material, slightly thicker wire, slightly more complicated design. And people have bought them. So I guess I have some thinking & practice to do! 
I tried to make a similar bracelet, but it turned out a bit wonky too. Not bad for a first try I suppose, but not good enough to sell. I know that much, lol!
…after he made a gift for my teenage cousin. I was having a lot of trouble coming up with an idea for her; I know she likes peace signs, so he suggested he make a copy of the giant peace sign wreath he has hanging way up out front of the barn. So, he stripped all the lights off of several branches & wove the branches together to make a decoration I hope she enjoys for years to come. Maybe even throughout the year! Watching him make it was quite incredible; this man truly has the patience of a saint!
And he really loves to create. He browses the internet for all kinds of fun things to try. At work, he cut a few slices of wood to make a wall hanging, & blackboard notepad.
here were more that went around, including this cute fake tealight holder. (When the lights are off, it casts forest-like shadows on the walls!) I’d always wanted to make gifts, because I think it’s the right way to celebrate the holiday. Plus, I’m poor & trying to start a craft shop 😉 I’m really happy with everything, & I hope you enjoyed all these random ideas. Stay tuned, I’ll hopefully be opening up shop soon…!
zen BLITZ 